12 juli 2005

Holiday! Celebrate!

La mer
Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs
A des reflets d'argent
La mer
Des reflets changeants
Sous la pluie

La mer
Au ciel d'été confond
Ses blancs moutons
Avec les anges si purs
La mer bergère d'azur
Infinie

Voyez
Près des étangs
Ces grands roseaux mouillés
Voyez
Ces oiseaux blancs
Et ces maisons rouillées

La mer
Les a bercés
Le long des golfes clairs
Et d'une chanson d'amour
La mer
A bercé mon cœur pour la vie

DDay is back in August!

It's all downhill from here, Kim

Rapper Lil' Kim sentenced to year in prison - NEW YORK (Reuters)

Rapper Lil' Kim was sentenced on Wednesday to 12 months and a day in prison after admitting she was wrong to lie to a grand jury investigating two of her friends involved in a 2001 shooting outside a radio station. She was also fined $50,000. The sentence was lenient compared to the 33 months that prosecutors sought in the high-profile case, which shed light on some of the complex rivalries in the hip-hop world. Lil' Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, was convicted in March of conspiracy and perjury for lying to a grand jury. The three perjury counts and the conspiracy charge carried maximum sentences of five years each. Before her sentencing in federal district court in Manhattan, the Grammy Award-winning artist made a plea for leniency, admitting what she did was wrong. "I testified falsely to the grand jury and during the trial. At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do. Now I know it was wrong," she said in court. She is due to report to jail on Sept. 19. U.S. District Judge Gerard Lynch said he took into consideration that Lil' Kim admitted her guilt. "You are sending that message that telling the truth has an important value," he said, noting such unsolved cases as rapper Tupac Shakur, who was gunned down in 1996. "Going to jail to protect violent men with guns is not heroic." Lil' Kim apologized for putting a burden on her friends and family. "This is by far the toughest thing I have ever had to go through," she told the judge in a quivering voice. "I am a God-fearing, good person."


DB says: God-fearing person, my ass. Serves you right to suffer, Kim. Die laatste vuilbekkende platen waren immers wel érg middelmatig. Plus: het schaarsgeklede opdondertje Lil' Kim bereikte sowieso het hoogtepunt van haar carrière eind vorig jaar al, toen ze opgenomen werd als één van de te ontrafelen mystery foto's tijdens Detroit Breakdown Music Quiz Volume II.

Motorhead = mietjes?

Too funny: Motorhead-brulboei Lemmy die aangespoord wordt om wat meer groenten te eten en wat meer water te drinken en reageert door meer ijsblokjes in zijn Jack Daniels te doen....

Motorhead have been forced to cancel a few of their European summer festivals and reschedule others after founder and frontman Lemmy Kilmister was diagnosed by doctors this week as suffering from extreme dehydration leading to exhaustion and was ordered to take time off and rest immediately. "When you're dealing with a warhorse like Lemmy it's not easy to discuss typical normal healthy things such as a balanced diet and proper fluid intake," said manager Todd Singerman. "Look, one time when I spoke to him about the importance of vegetables in a diet, he looked me straight in the eye and said 'what are you talking about Todd! These crisps here are part of the vegetable food group!' So imagine telling him he needs to drink more water because it's a crazy hot summer in Europe! Although in fairness to Lemm he did start making an effort by adding extra ice-cubes to his Jack and coke". Drummer Mikkey Dee spoke of the 100 plus degree heat at recent gigs, and commented, "I'm having to drink 8 bottles of Gatorade as well as water just to get through these shows, I mean, I'm close to passing out, and there's Lemm sweating his ass off drinking his Jack and coke! I told him after our last number at the Fury Fest in France, 'let's not go back out for an encore' and that we should call it a night because really, I thought I was going to collapse. They were telling us that it was over 130 degrees on stage, but he insisted on doing the final two encores. We managed to get through 'Ace Of Spades' so I said 'come on Lemm, we did an encore, let's just skip the last one 'Overkill' and he said, "no Mikkey, we're doing 'Overkill' but maybe we can just play it a little slower." Commenting on rumors that Lemmy's health is in a more serious state than diagnosed, Singerman laughed. "Come on, you couldn't make this story up! The simple truth is that Lemmy's the classic rock'n'roll juggernaut who has proudly defied human logic for decades, but even juggernauts need a bit of maintenance once in a while."

11 juli 2005

Must-see TV

Van de officiële Sheila E. site (echt waar):
The tv show "Tien om Te Zien" will feature a performance of "The Glamorous Life". It will air July 13, 2005 on the tv channel VTM in Belgium.


En de TOTZ-trailer belooft nog heel wat meer korte zomerrokjes: Seduced, Sandrine, Belle Perez, K3... Mmmmmmm, na mei lijkt dit wel de Second Summer of Love!

Belinda Bedeković

DB presenteert een angstaanjagend talent, of om het met andere woorden te zeggen: How Bizarre can you get...
Als u zich ooit heeft afgevraagd waar onze 80's bands hun nu volledig onmodieuze handheld keyboards gelaten hebben? Al die Yamaha's, Korgs, Lyncs, Rolands? Wel, afgaand op deze dame lijken die allemaal naar het voormalige Oostblok verscheept te zijn. Het was dan ook a matter of years voor deze als een walgelijke boemerang ons terug in het gezicht zouden slaan.
Belinda Bedeković uit Kroatië presenteert zich als 'the fastest finger in the world', I kid you not. En rechstreeks uit haar bio liften we These days she has been working on her project ''TORNADO ON THE REMOTE KEYBOARD''. On her public appearances with her virtuosity and performance she ''demolishes everything in front of her'', and they are regularly accompanied by enthusiastic applause, sometimes even leading to euphoria.
Afgezien van het schabouwelijk Engels weet ik niet of het feit dat ze alles voor zich vernield zo enthousiast onthaald moet worden? Euforie zelfs?
Hmm, ik denk dat enkel beelden hier kunnen spreken. Bekijk dus maar haar Tornado (opgepast, avi-file van 33MB) en oordeel zelf. If you're still standing, that is...

08 juli 2005

Crazy J

Na Peter Jackson's muziekkast brengen de crazy mofo's van Music Thing iets nieuws aan het licht. Een paar hopeloze studenten van het Georgia Institute of Technology hebben een gitaar gerobotiseerd.
De foto is duidelijk genoeg, niet? Spontaan doet mij dit denken aan sommige Hentai-tekeningen waarbij Japanse jongedames door monsters en robots gepenetreerd worden. Allez, dat heb ik van horen zeggen, hé ;-)

Nu, als dit u opwindt, ga dan vooral kijken naar de site van de knutselaars om het mechanisme te bewonderen. Normale mensen zullen hopelijk genoegen nemen met enkele soundclips:
- "Flight of the Bumblebee"
- "Layla" (met extra midi)
- "Downtown"
- "Lola"
Sorry, maar mij lijkt het dat die gitaar ofwel een zeer goedkoop exemplaar is (en dan is die verkrachting iets minder erg), of dat ze dringend gestemd moet worden.

07 juli 2005

Big Daddy Fan 4-ever

Mensen die aanwezig waren op onze Bozo-muziekquizzen in Leuven (way back in de vorige eeuw) zouden zich Big Daddy moeten herinneren. Via deze groep introduceerden we het How Bizarre concept in onze quizzen, iets wat sindsdien in elke editie voor hilarische taferelen en vreemde snuiten zorgt.

In 't kort was Big Daddy een covergroep die hedendaagse muziek interpreteerde volgens de akkoordenschema's van fifties en sixties hits. Verklaring daarvoor was te vinden in het feit dat ze - zogezegd - op toernee in Laos gevangen genomen werden en pas 20 jaar later ontsnapten. Ze bleven de actuele hits spelen, maar hadden moeite met de moderne arrangementen...

Dankzij het beste platenlabel ter wereld geraakte het meeste van hun opnames tot bij mij, maar ik zoek nog steeds naar een exemplaar van hun tweede LP 'Meanwhile, Back In The States'. Als u toevallig Jan De Smet heet of iemand met deze plaat bent of kent, get in touch. Please.

Trouwens, alles wat u wilde weten over Big Daddy en nog veel meer is te vinden op de geniale fansite van Sluggomatic. De kerel beschrijft perfect wat de groep ook voor mij betekent. Chance dat er nog andere freaks in de wereld zijn...

04 juli 2005

Read ‘m and weep (2)

'Obie' Benson of the Four Tops Dies at 69
DETROIT - Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the legendary Motown singing group the Four Tops, has died. He was 69. Benson died Friday of lung cancer that was discovered when he had a leg amputated several weeks ago because of circulation problems, said his publicist, Matt Lee. The Four Tops sold more than 50 million records and recorded hit songs such as "Baby I Need Your Loving," "Reach Out (I'll be There)," "I Can't Help Myself" and "Standing in the Shadows of Love." Benson's death leaves two surviving members of the original group: Levi Stubbs and Abdul "Duke" Fakir. The fourth original Top, Lawrence Payton, died of liver cancer in 1997. They are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Read ‘m and weep (I)

R&B Crooner Luther Vandross Dies at 54
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer

NEW YORK - Grammy award winner Luther Vandross, whose deep, lush voice on such hits as "Here and Now" and "Any Love" sold more than 25 million albums while providing the romantic backdrop for millions of couples worldwide, died Friday. He was 54.

Vandross died at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, N.J., said hospital spokesman Rob Cavanaugh. He did not release the cause of death but said in a statement that Vandross "never really recovered from" a stroke two years ago.

Since the stroke in his Manhattan home on April 16, 2003, the R&B crooner stopped making public appearances — but amazingly managed to continue his recording career. In 2004, he captured four Grammys as a sentimental favorite, including best song for the bittersweet "Dance With My Father."

Vandross, who was still in a wheelchair at the time, delivered a videotaped thank you.

"Remember, when I say goodbye it's never for long," said a weak-looking Vandross. "Because" — he broke into his familiar hit — "I believe in the power of love."

Vandross also battled weight problems for years while suffering from diabetes and hypertension.

He was arguably the most celebrated R&B balladeer of his generation. He made women swoon with his silky yet forceful tenor, which he often revved up like a motor engine before reaching his beautiful crescendos.

Jeff O'Conner, Vandross' publicist, called his death "a huge loss in the R&B industry. He was a close friend of mine and right now it's shocking."

O'Conner said he received condolence calls Friday from music luminaries such as Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.

Singer Roberta Flack, on tour in Japan, said she was mourning the loss of her friend of more than 20 years.

"He was a musician who couldn't help but give you all he had," she said by telephone. "He was the kind of guy who was born to do what he did musically and let the world know about it. He was not born to keep it smothered in the chest."

Vandross was a four-time Grammy winner in the best male R&B performance category, taking home the trophy in 1990 for the single "Here and Now," in 1991 for his album "Power of Love," in 1996 for the track "Your Secret Love" and a last time for "Dance With My Father."

The album, with its single of the same name, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts while Vandross remained hospitalized from his stroke. It was the first time a Vandross album had topped the charts in its first week of release.

In 2005, he was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for a duet with Beyonce on "The Closer I Get To You."

Vandross' sound was so unusual few tried to copy it; even fewer could.

"I'm proud of that — it's one of the things that I'm most proud of," he told The Associated Press in a 2001 interview. "I was never compared to anyone in terms of sound."

Vandross' style harkened back to a more genteel era of crooning. While many of his contemporaries and successors belted out tunes that were sexually charged and explicit, Vandross preferred soft pillow talk and songs that spoke to heartfelt emotions.

"I'm more into poetry and metaphor, and I would much rather imply something rather than to blatantly state it," he said. "You blatantly state stuff sometimes when you can't think of a poetic way to say it."

A career in music seemed predestined for the New York native; both his parents were singers, and his sister, Patricia, was part of a 1950s group called the Crests.

But he happily toiled in the musical background for years before he would have his first hit. He wrote songs for projects as varied as a David Bowie album ("Fascination") and the Broadway musical "The Wiz" ("Everybody Rejoice (Brand New Day)"), sang backup for acts such as Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand, and even became a leading commercial jingle singer.

Vandross credited Flack for prodding him to move into the spotlight after listening to one of his future hits, "Never Too Much."

"She started crying," he recalled. "She said, `No, you're getting too comfortable (in the background). ... I'm going to introduce you to some people and get your career started.'"

Vandross' first big hit came as the lead vocalist for the group Change, with their 1980 hit, "The Glow of Love." That led to a recording contract with Epic Records, and in 1981, he made his solo recording debut with the disc "Never Too Much." The album, which contained his aching rendition of "A House is Not a Home," became an instant classic.

Over the years, Vandross would emerge as the leading romantic singer of his generation, racking up one platinum album after another and charting several R&B hits, such as "Superstar," "Give Me The Reason" and "Love Won't Let Me Wait."

Yet, while Vandross was a household name in the black community, he was frustrated by his failure to become a mainstream pop star. Indeed, it took Vandross until 1990 to score his first top 10 hit — the wedding staple "Here & Now."

"I just wanted more success. I didn't want to suddenly start wearing blond wigs to appeal to anyone," he told the AP.

"This is the same voice that sang Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola, NBC 'proud as a peacock,' ... America, the world, has heard the voice, so there's no reason that that music shouldn't have gone the complete distance, I mean, to number one."

Another frustration for Vandross was his lifelong battle with obesity. Health problems ran in his family, and Vandross struggled for years to control his waistline. When he first became a star, he was a hefty size; a few years later, he was almost skinny. His weight fluctuated so much that rumors swirled that he had more serious health problems than the hypertension and diabetes caused by his large frame.

Vandross' two sisters and a brother died before him. The lifelong bachelor never had any children, but doted on his nieces and nephews. The entertainer said his busy lifestyle made marriage difficult; besides, it wasn't what he wanted.

___

Associated Press Writer Sam Dolnick contributed to this story.

___

On the Net:

http://www.luthervandross.com